Toronto animal rescue organizations are facing a decrease in adoptions and an increase in fostering due to the pandemic. Some have even put adoptions on hold.
The Toronto Humane Society has been receiving fewer animals because of the temporary closing of its public services. As a result, there have been fewer adoptions, public relations specialist Hannah Sotropa says.
They have also moved all interviews, meet-and-greets and paperwork onto a digital platform.
“We are still trying to find a way to place animals into homes, even during these tough times in regard to fostering,” Sotropa says.
Normally the shelter places on average two to three fosters per day but, now those numbers have doubled.
In response, The Toronto Humane Society is launching virtual training classes and trivia nights for foster carers.
However, the shelter is not seeking new foster parents, though this could change over time.
On the other hand, Save Our Scruff has temporarily put adoptions on hold in light of social distancing, says foster manager Nicole Saniga.
With their largest fundraising event, The Scruff Social, cancelled, other ways to raise money are now needed.
As a result, they have created an Amazon wishlist, in which they post essential needs to aid the dogs that are in foster care.
The majority of the dogs helped are from overseas. With the limitations of travelling, many shelters in other countries are struggling as they fill up.
The federal government has asked rescue organizations and adoptive families to postpone the import of animals at this time to limit the spread of COVID-19.
As a partner to these shelters, Save Our Scruffs is trying to find ways to support them, Saniga says.